About
EWISE
Creating pathways for women and girls of color to reconnect with the earth and to see themselves through environmental justice, eco-spirituality, and ethics.
Rooted in Purpose
Founded by Valerie Hill Rawls, MAPT, the EcoWomanist Institute Southeast (EWISE) empowers women and girls of color to heal, lead, and advocate through land-based practices, eco-spirituality, and environmental justice. We believe in building pathways that reconnect people to the earth and to one another—because when the land is honored as sacred, so are we.
Why We Rise
A future where women and girls of color are grounded in healing, equipped to lead, and empowered to advocate for justice—creating thriving, equitable communities across generations.
Our vision is unapologetic: expand land justice, create sacred spaces for learning and healing, and prepare the next generation to lead with competence and resilience. Rooted in the legacy of Black land stewardship and the wisdom of ecowomanist values, we seek to transform how communities relate to land, wellness, and power.
We exist because the relationship between Black people and the land is complex—marked by both suffering and innate gifts of cultivation. At EWISE, we are restoring that relationship, reclaiming the birthright of stewardship, and rewriting narratives that too often erase Black resilience and contribution.
Behind the Work
The work of EWISE is powered by a team committed to justice, healing, and leadership. Together, we cultivate the change our communities deserve.
Valerie
Hill Rawls, MAPT
FOUNDER & CEO
At the Center
EWISE centers women and girls of color—those too often left at the margins of environmental, social, and economic decision-making. We recognize the barriers they face: energy burdens, climate change, racial injustice, and economic inequity. Through healing practices, land stewardship, and advocacy training, we equip them to reclaim power, transform communities, and step into leadership with confidence.
We support them because their leadership is not optional—it is essential. When women and girls of color are rooted in healing and resilience, entire communities flourish.
Our Ground
Our work grows across three interconnected pillars that, together, cultivate a foundation for lasting impact—honoring heritage, nurturing growth, and empowering communities to thrive.
